Kamala Harris' influencer niece, Meena, 'should create a firewall' between business and family, some ethics experts advise

Meena Harris, the 36-year-old influencer niece of Vice President Kamala Harris, has raised concerns among some ethics experts due to her relationship with the VP.

In many ways, entrepreneur and influencer Meena Harris' most recent promotional tour has looked like any other -- pitching her latest best-selling children's book, touting her thriving lifestyle and clothing label, and talking up her soaring social media profile. But Harris' connection to power is anything but ordinary, and her propensity to invoke her famous aunt, Vice President Kamala Harris, during a post-inauguration media blitz has raised concerns among some ethics experts. "Trust in government is suffering in America," warned Meredith McGehee, executive director of the government ethics watchdog Issue One. "And when we see relationships like this -- where it seems like the lines between personal relationship, public service, and cashing in are being blurred -- it serves to further undermine the public's trust." Meena Harris represents a unique challenge for public servants in the internet influencer era, where visibility and name recognition translate into followers -- and where followers are currency. McGehee said that by "using her relationship with the vice president to heighten her profile, Meena Harris is playing with fire."